This blog serves as a portal for exchanges among alumni/participants of the Gwangju Asian Human Rights Folk School. It will feature announcement, updates, news, events, commentaries, reflections, experiences, and just plain messages or greetings. Also, it serves as a visual blog (photo gallery/album) and vlog for the folk school.

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

The May 18 Academy is an education/training program for domestic/international civil society activists working for human rights, democracy and peace. The May 18 Academy provides special lectures based on the May spirit and a valuable opportunity to share experiences among activists in solidarity.

The May 18 Academy 2 began in 2004. The aim of the May 18 Academy is to introduce participants to Korean history and a variety of democratic movements in Korea including the May 18 Democratization Movement in 1980, through both theoretical and practical experiences.

Participants in the Academy engage with Korean modern history of human rights and democracy through a 2 week program of guided field trips to places of significance in Korean modern history, visits with Korean organizations, as well as expert lectures and workshops.

The May 18 Academy 2 strives to contribute to the development of democracy and human rights throughout Asia by hosting 20 invitees from all over the world-but more focusing on Asia-who have been working for human rights and peace organizations in their respective countries. The emphasis is on organizational partnership, so applicants endorsed by their organization will be given priority in the participant selection procedure.

Applicants' organizations should support their staff's successful completion of the course from the May 18 Academy by providing expenses for issuing of the travel visa and internal travel expenses in their home country aside from the round trip airfare, Korean domestic expenses and accommodation which are provided by the Foundation for him/her.

The May 18 Academy 2 will be held for 2 weeks: from 26 August to 10 September, 2016

The May 18 Academy 2 will select 20 participants

* Note

üApplicants are advised to read the guidelines carefully. The Foundation will only consider applicants who successfully comply with the guidelines and rules.

üIncomplete applications will not be considered (See the application form for more details).

üApplicants should ensure that they have no potential visa problems. If an applicant is denied entry to Korea because of his/her personal matters which are not known to the Foundation, the Foundation does not take any responsibilities for the problems he/she faces.

üIf an applicant decides not to participate in the May 18 Academy after being selected as a participant, the Foundation will not accept any applications from his/her organization for 3 years.

The May 18 Memorial Foundation will cover the following expenses during the program:

ØRound trip airfare

ØTransportation expenses in Korea

ØAccommodation and food

The following expenses will NOT be covered:

ØInternal transportation, including domestic flights in your home country (for example, to/from the airport or to the embassy)

ØVisa fee and any other special taxes.

About the May 18 Memorial Foundation

The May 18 Memorial Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 1994 to commemorate the 1980 Gwangju Uprising by continuing the Uprising’s spirit of struggle and solidarity and working towards peace and human rights throughout the world. The Foundation carries out numerous projects in various fields, including organizing memorial events, establishing scholarships, fostering research, publishing materials, dispensing funds, building international solidarity, and awarding the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights.